Change
by Haru69
Summary: Just a short one-shot based of the song 'Change from Carrie Underwood


**o0o**

**Old woman**

December was a cold month, dreary, the world covered in grays and whites. Snow fell from the heavens in small wisps, sometimes in raging storms that left you blind. There were even days when there was no snow and the world, it seemed, was so cold that it felt as if everything would freeze, that it would just stop moving. It was on one of these days that kagome found herself waking too, wearily rolling out of bed only to find her feat nearly frozen off by the ice cold hardwood floors. Hissing at the cold she quickly dressed, putting on her winter uniform and a pair of thick, black leggings and socks. She grabbed her school bag and moved as quickly as she could across the floor and down the steps without tripping and injuring herself.

Dashing into the kitchen she immediately went over to the stove (where breakfast was cooking), placing her hands above it and relishing in the heat. A chuckle sounded beside her.

"Good morning dear." Muttering a good morning back she turned her head as her brother came barreling into the kitchen, rubbing his arms and jumping from one socked foot to another, demanding why the heck it was so cold in the house. Her mother just laughed, "Because your grandfather cannot stand too much heat, and if you two had your way with the heating it would be a sauna in here."

Both of them pouted, but while her brother chose to rant Kagome chose to remain silent, which was proven to be a wise decision when her grandfather appeared behind sota, smacking him upside the head for his commit of him being a weird little old man. Not that she disagreed with him.

Laughing quietly as her little brother and grandfather got into an argument she grabbed a pancake from a paper plate seated by the stove; absentmindedly munching on it as she watched her brother and grandfather with amusement.

"Kagome honey, don't you and sota have to go to school soon?" Startled slightly she turned to look at her mother, then at the clock behind her mother.

Shoot.

Grabbing two more pancakes she hurried to the coat rack, eating one quickly and shoving the other in her mouth she slipped into her coat, wrapping a red wool scarf around her neck and pulling on her shoes. As she settled her messenger bag she looked over to find her brother still arguing with her grandfather. She finished off part of the pancake that she was eating, holding the other half in her right hand.

"Sota quit auguring with jii-chan, were going to be late!" He stopped mid insult and looked over to the clock, muttering an oath under his breath. Rushing around the table he grabbed four pancakes, flinching and mumbling an apology when he saw their mothers disapproving stare. In a flurry of movements both of them were soon rushing down the steps of the shrine, trying their best not to slip on the snow and hidden ice. They split when they got into the main part of the city, what with sota being in middle school.

Finishing off the rest of her food and slowing down to a walk (Seeing as how her school was just up ahead) she stuffed her hands into her pockets, only to withdraw her right hand as she felt something cold, hard, and sticky. Curious she placed her hand back into her pocked and pulled out a couple of coins. Taking a whiff of them she discovered that the sticky substance was cherry coke. Sighing she stuffed the change back into her coat pocket as her friends ran up to meet her. They greeted each other, all the while Kagome wondered to herself what she was going to do with thirty six cents sticky with cherry coke.

"Hey kagome, look, it's that old homeless woman again."One of them said, rudely pointing to the small, bent over woman. Kagome looked over seeing the poor old woman hunkered down on a vent on the sidewalk across from them, wrapped up in old ratty blankets trying to keep warm. Kagome took one good look at the woman and her decision was made instantly.

"Tell the teacher that I'm not coming in today and to Sesshomaru that I'll call him later."

"Kagome, what are you…?" She didn't acknowledge them as she walked over to the old woman, nearly slipping on some ice as she went. When her friends saw the direction she was headed they all sighed and looked to each other. "She's really that kind isn't she?" One said as they watched her talk to the old woman.

"No, she's nothing more than a fool." They nodded their heads and turned back to their original path, casting one last glace behind them. Kagome had the old woman up on her feet, a kind smile across her face as she led the now crying woman to what her friends knew to be the direction of her house. One of them look on with a disapproving stare as kagome and the woman disappeared around a corner. "She just a fool who thinks she can change the world."

**o0o**

**Children in need**

Kagome sat huddled up to her boyfriend, a huge blanket wrapped around them, their friends scattered about the living room floor. They were all watching the Grinch, and the movie had just gone to commercial when Kaede walked in with a try of hot chocolate.

"Kagome, would you and your friends like some hot chocolate?" She asked, holding up the tray filled with the steaming mugs. Kagome grinned and wriggled out from the blankets and her boyfriend's embrace.

"Yes please, here I'll take it," she grabbed the cold metal tray and set it down on the coffee table in front of the couch before turning back to Kaede. "Why don't you go rest in your room for a bit? Mother and sota are out and grandfather is taking a nap, you don't need to keep being up and about. I can cater to my friends needs." Kagome finished with a kind smile as she gently shooed the woman out of the room. Kaede laughed.

"You are just too kind child; I can see why such a fine young man as Sesshomaru would snatch you up." Blushing Kagome quickly shooed the laughing woman from the room, turning a halfhearted glare to her quietly chuckling boyfriend. A retort fell off her tong as sad music sounded throughout the room. She turned her attention back to the TV, watching as pictures of a child in need flashed across the screen. Telling that for a dime a day you could save a life. She watched, slightly horrified as her friends faces became stony. Yuka grabbed the remote from off the couch and changed the channel.

"It's nothing but a scam." She simple said. No one spoke but a few of her friends nodded their heads. Kagome could feel herself frowning but chose to say nothing, instead she passed around the hot chocolate, then with the cold metal tray in hand walked out of the living room and into the kitchen. She could hear her friend's voices trailing after her.

"I can't believe that she brought that old woman home!" one harshly whispered, several sounds of agreement followed.

"I bet you she's going to call that number right now." Another sounded off.

"Yea, that girl is nothing more than a fool who thinks she can change the world."

With tears in her eyes Kagome walked the rest of the way into the kitchen, setting the metal tray into the sink. So what if she wanted to help people. That didn't make her a fool. Did it?

Kagome gave a startled gasp as large arms wrapped around her slender form.

"Do not listen to them Kagome, you are not a fool. You are a kind hearted young woman, and even the smallest of things can make all the difference. You are no fool, I know this, and you know this. So don't even listen to them." The smooth baritone of her boyfriends' voice floated past her hears. Kagome turned around to face him, looking up into his golden eyes.

"But, what if they are right, and that I really am just a fool?" Kagome asked; her voice high as she fought off tears. Sesshomaru just smiled,

"Then you are a kind hearted one."

"What…!"

Sesshomaru chuckled, "you know, you once told me that love is alive; and I believe that, but, this world is so big that it's breaking your heart and you want nothing more than to help."

"But, I'm not sure where to start." Kagome butted in, a pout on her face.

Sesshomaru gave a reproachful look to her for interrupting him, kagome ducked her head. Chuckling Sesshomaru hugged her tighter,

"Then close your eyes and send up a prayer into the dark." Kagome once again looked up into his eyes.

"And just how is that supposed to help?"

"Hn, you will be doing something wont you?" he said with a teasing tone. Her right eyebrow twitched as she slapped him on his upper arm, fighting off the urge to do it again as he laughed at her.

Grumbling she walked over the phone, picked it up, and dialed the number. She had a well paying part time job, she could afford it. Sesshomaru was right, she was no fool.

Sesshomaru walked over to her, staring as she punched in numbers, "You memorized the number from that ad? It was on for only a few moments."

Kagome huffed as a woman's voice came on over the line. She replied to the question,

"Yes, I'd like to donate."


End file.
